Living Life
by thephoenixsong
Summary: Lucy starting her Er rotation as a mature student, after battling with cancer. Set in present day 2002.
1. Chapter 1

**"Living Life" This is a Carter and Lucy Story. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the ER characters.**

**Written By Louise Mills.**

**Summary: Set in present time 2002. Lucy is just beginning her 3rd year at medical school, as a mature student. 8 years ago when Lucy was 19 she was diagnosed with cancer.**

**Rating: This story has a rating between PG and 12A, UK Rating system.**

**Please visit my web site at http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/erfiction **

**Chapter One**

Lucy ignored the desperate knocking against her door and threw the covers over her head.

"Lucy? Are you in there?" The person screamed.

"Go away!"

"Good you are in! Because I nearly left without you thinking that you had already left." The person shouted.

Confused and annoyed that she had been woken up Lucy threw the covers off and stumbled to the door. She threw open the door, which stunned the person who had been knocking, who happen to be her best friend Gemma. She had been Lucy's best friend since Lucy went on an exchange programme for a few terms in pre med. Lucy had been selected to go to Oxford University in England. Gemma's face turned from stunned to mortify.

"Lucy you're not ready?"

"What are you talking about not ready? It's Saturday."

"Yes it is, the Saturday we will be starting our first rotation, which will begin in 20 minutes."

All the sudden Lucy was awake. She opened the door wilder so Gemma could come in, and started to run round the room getting ready.

"God I forgot, how can I suddenly forget? When I haven't spoken about anything else!"

"Beats me!" Gemma said with a slight smile, she was amused. It was funny watching Lucy ran round her room like a headless chicken.

"Okay ready!"

"That was fast, it usually takes you hours to get ready!"

"Well I can be fast when I want to be." Lucy said while pushing Gemma out of the door, and towards her car.

20 Minutes later Lucy and Gemma were stuck in traffic and were quite a way from the hospital.

"We're going to be late!" Squealed Gemma.

"Stop stating the obvious, we'll be there soon!" Lucy utter, as the traffic started to speed up.

10 minutes later they arrived at the underground car park of the hospital, they quickly locked the car and proceeded towards the ER.

"Hello…we are new med students…we're suppose to…report here!" Gemma spoke as she tried to catch her breath. The nurses at front desk laughed and the doctor behind them turned around abruptly. 

"Well you're late, and the other students have started their briefing you will have to just wait until it's over to start yours!" The doctor said with a strict tone, which made Lucy cower, as it was her fault Gemma was late.

"Doctor if anyone has to be blamed it's me. I'm the reason Gemma's late; she was trying to get me up. Which sometimes is quite difficult." Lucy spoke with confidence.

"Well if it is so hard for you to get up, I suggest you get to bed early, and buy an efficient alarm clock." The doctor snarled back. 

"I have an alarm clock and went to bed early that's not the reason I was late it's because…" The doctor interrupted Lucy.

"I don't want your excuses as there is no excuse you could say that I haven't heard before or except, Miss…"

"Knight!" Lucy said with resentment, "And your name doctor?" She asked.

"Carter, and I suggest you sit in chairs until the briefing room is free." Dr carter said with the same resentment Lucy showed. The nurses took a step back from the scene they could tell Dr Carter didn't have a high opinion of the new medical student Miss Knight; she hadn't even been in the hospital 10 minutes. Dr carter grabbed a chart and stormed off pass Lucy to his next patient. Lucy turned round and watched him leave.

"Great!" Lucy said as she flung her hands in the air then turned back towards Gemma. She placed her hands on her hips and continued talking, "I have just made an emery with the Chief Resident!"

"He was the Chief Resident? How did you know?" Gemma asked this made Lucy shake her head.

"If you would have read the introductory pack of the hospital you would know, it states all the Heads and Chief Residents of each department."

"I think our new Chief Resident was totally unfair towards you, for not letting you explain why we were late!"

"You Do? Well we were late, and he had every reason not to hear our excuses, mine anyway."

"Lucy, how could you say that? It wasn't your fault your doctor changed your mediation." Gemma yelped. The nurses who listen intensively to their conversation became more interested once the words 'Mediation' was said. Lucy saw their reaction and could scold Gemma for saying anything at all.

"Yeah I suppose, but I should of made greater efforts to get up this morning." Lucy said. Lowering her voice so the nurses wouldn't hear her, but she didn't try hard enough as they heard every word. Gemma rolled her eyes at Lucy's comment.

"Hey, I just thought! You didn't happen to pick up your mediation this morning when you were in a rush did you?" Gemma spoke abruptly. Lucy's only reaction was closing her eyes, and cussing herself. Gemma's eyes widen at Lucy reaction. 

"Oh no, you didn't?" Gemma asked nervously knowing the consequences of Lucy missing only one dose of her mediation; she couldn't think what a whole day could do. She didn't want her friend to get ill again.

"What do you think?" Lucy bit back, this reaction supported Gemma's fears.

"Hey, maybe you could go pick it up?"

"Right! Do you really see Dr Carter letting me go? Think again!"

"Do you know what the consequences could be…"

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME THE CONSEQUENCES! I HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH THIS FOR 8 YEARS!" Lucy shouted. She stormed off outside to the ambulance bay. This stunned the nurses, and equally stunned Dr Carter who was standing just behind Lucy when she shouted, but he missed the reasons why she shouted. Gemma regretted what she said, and looked to where Lucy ran off to. When she turned back around she was surprised to see Dr Carter standing there just where Lucy was standing moments before.

"What was that all about?" Dr Carter spoke still not in a good mood.

"Lucy left her mediation at home this morning, then she was in a rush. If she doesn't finish the course it could make her extremely ill." Gemma said sheepishly.  

"What's the course of mediation for?" He asked with a little more compassion in his voice.

"I can't tell you that! It's not my place, it's her provocative."

"Okay!" Dr Carter said excepting her reason. "I think I will talk to my new medical student Carol? If you need me, I'll be outside." He said his voice now was kind and had a note of understanding.

"Sure thing Carter!" Carol answered back; Dr Carter left the area and proceeded to where Lucy fled off.

Gemma turned to the nurses and said. "What did he mean by his medical student?"

"His has taken Miss Knight as his medical student this year!" Carol answered her carefully. 

"Why would he do that? I thought Chief Residents didn't get medical students!"

"They don't, but now and then Carter chooses to if he doesn't have a good opinion about someone." Chuni answered, who was one of the other nurses around the desk. Gemma understood why now it was because of their little scene this morning for why he chose Lucy to be his new medical student.

"Yeah well! Okay guys new pool, Carter and Lucy, who wants in?" Malik a male nursed asked, which shocked Gemma. All the nurses went forward to place bets on dates.

"YOU THINK HE LIKES HER!" Gemma shrieked.

"Yeah, it's so obvious he does!" All the nurses said at once, shocking Gemma more.

****** 

Carter approached Lucy thinking about what he was going to say, and keep his resolve that he didn't like her that much. The fact was the minute he laid his eyes on her, he was attracted to her and was even more so then she stood up for herself. This was one reason he was so cold towards her. 

Once he was by Lucy he sat down next to her, Lucy looked up and noticed whom it was. She moaned internally as she didn't want another fight with the Chief Resident.

"Gemma said me you have to go home and pick up your mediation! She wouldn't tell me why it was so important that you couldn't miss a dose, she said that was only up to you! So can you give me a reason why it's so important for you to pick up your mediation?" Carter said, and he surprised himself when he heard the coldness in his voice, he didn't want to be cold with her.

"I don't want to tell you, but can you please just take it I need my mediation!"

"Do you really expect me to let you go home for mediation without the reason for needing it?" Carter said getting defensive.

"No that's why I didn't ask you!" Lucy said equally defensive.

"Please tell me what's the mediation's for Lucy?" He pleaded; his tone was one of concern. Lucy was surprised by his change in character and hit her right at her heart, making her relent. 

"8 Years ago I was diagnosed with cancer, I'm officially in remission for the last 2 years. To ensure I stay in remission I have a course of mild treatment now and then, and will have for another 3 years." Lucy said. Carter had never expected to hear she had cancer.

"What kind did you have?"

"Blood cancer!"

"Did the cancer affect you in other ways?"

"Yeah, I have had a liver, kidney transplant, and I nearly had a heart transplant but in the end they didn't think it was necessary."

"The other students won't be back for another 30 minutes, so why don't you go home and pick up your mediation!" Carter softly said, which caused Lucy to give him a sweet smile. Carter moaned internally, knowing that smile could get him into a lot of trouble, if he wasn't careful.

"Thank you Dr Carter!" She said as she hugged him. She quickly pulled away, and towards her car. Carter watched her leave and sighed deeply unaware that Carol was standing behind him.

"John be careful you don't want to fall in love with a medical student."

"Yeah I know Carol, I'll be careful."

"So you are admitting you like her!"

"You would know I was lying if I said no, so why denying it."

"True, Oh carter Trauma coming it, be here in 10 minutes."

"Thanks Carol I be there in a minute."

"Alright see you in a minute."

End of Chapter please review, it's always nice to know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

**"Living Life" This is a Carter and Lucy Story. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the ER characters.**

**Written By Louise Mills.**

**Summary: Set in present time 2002. Lucy is just beginning her 3rd year at medical school, as a mature student. 8 years ago when Lucy was 19 she was diagnosed with cancer.**

**Rating: This story has a rating between PG and 12A, UK Rating system.**

**Please visit my web site at **

**Chapter Two**

Lucy arrived back to the hospital in record time, she was given 30 minutes to go home and pick up her mediation, and she had in 15 minutes. She walked out of the lift and walked towards the front desk, as she approached the desk in chairs she noticed Gemma looking bored out of her wits. Obviously she was told to wait there until the briefing room was free again. She walked towards Gemma this action was not registered by her friend. Gemma was surprised to see Lucy sitting next to her when she looked up.

"Where have you been?" Gemma demanded.

"Went to pick up my mediation, thanks for talking to Doctor Carter."

"No problem, so he let you go in the end, he didn't tell me that!"

"He probably had an emergency and didn't have time to tell you. You know how demanding ER's are or in your case A&E, and your great medical system." Lucy mocked.

"Don't dish the NHS, it's a good system, when it works."

 "Which is never." Lucy stated while laughing.

"It only doesn't work because of the government, hospital mangers, and red tape. When the matrons run the wards then the NHS was first formed, it worked extremely well."

"Well, I do believe in the principle of the NHS, it's a great idea to give free healthcare to everyone and to be paid by taxes. We wouldn't have to turn away as many patients as we do if we had a NHS, but it probably have the same problems as it does in England. How the hell did we start this conversation?"

"You dishing the NHS!"

"Okay, lets get off the subject I hate politics."

"Who doesn't?"

"Good question!"

"My grandfather for one!" A voice from behind them stated, they turned and saw Dr Carter.

"Thanks again for letting me get my mediation, Dr Carter." Lucy said.

"No problem, so ready for the briefing!" Carter asked and the girls eagerly nodded. 

Carter walked the two girls down the hall into the main hospital and opened the door to one of the many conference rooms the hospital contained. Carter flicked through the briefing manual Dr Weaver had given him, after one minute he through the manual into the bin, the girls were left confused.

"Weren't you supposed to give as a presentation on the things in that manual?" Gemma asked causing Lucy and Carter to laugh.

"Yes, but just between you and me it was a load of crap. Dr Weaver obviously only wrote it, so it looked like we were doing something about employee safety. She over did it a bit in the manual, I will give you a copy anyway that way it looks like I've spoken to you."

"What we going to do if we not going to have a briefing?" Gemma question.

"Well I didn't say you weren't going to have a briefing!" Carter walked up to the white board, picked up in marker on the metal shelf, and started to write. 'FAMILIZATION OF DEPARTMENT, AND HOSPITAL.' Gemma and Lucy rolled their eyes as he wrote, and noticed their lack of enthusiasm for his little briefing.

"It's going to be that bad, you have the heads up over the after medical students. They probably have to found out were everything thing is on their own."

"Why you giving us the heads up?" Lucy asked, speaking the first time since they enter the conference room.

"Because you made an impression on me!"

"You acted like you hated us when we first arrived I really wouldn't say that was an impression for you to give us the head ups." Lucy spoke out.

"Well, you had reason why you were late and I didn't give you a chance to voice it, I acted out of line, Lucy!" John said, and Gemma could tell he was mainly speaking to Lucy. She realised what the nurses said earlier about Carter liking Lucy was very evident, and she knowing Lucy wouldn't even realise that he did.

"Are you trying to apologise to us, Dr Carter?"

"Yes, Lucy."

"Well, you don't apologise often then because you're not doing well."

"I know, but will you forgive me."

"Only on one condition, you let me part-take in some of the trauma's you deal with today!"

"I'm sure that can be arranged!" Carter said. Gemma was trying to contain her laughter he was flirting with Lucy and Lucy it looked like hadn't recognised. 

"I can't wait." Lucy said seductively. Gemma no longer felt like laughing she was stunned. Lucy was flirting back, she would have to talk to her later then they're alone.

End of chapter.. Sorry it's not long but I couldn't get anything out of my mind right now, a little case of writers block I guarantee the next one will be longer. PLEASE REVIEW, LIKE YOUR VIEWS ON EVERYTHING.


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